Tenshi and Akuma
by strawberries
Summary: AU BV In a world where demons and angels go to war, a young demon struggles to survive with the help of a powerful angel. Can they overcome the war and each other's secrets or will they be forced to side against each other?
1. Help? No, Thank You!

Tenshi and Akuma  
Chapter 1  
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Disclaimer: I own everything; worship me! No, really... I don't own anything... T.T  
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Bulma skipped through the meadows, laughing happily as she did so. She loved this part of the meadows so much. The flowers that grew here were simply gorgeous and her days were often spent simply plucking them from the ground and gazing at them. Of course, she'd always magically re-implant them into the ground, so that they could continue their lives after she was done smelling them.  
  
Peaceful times like this were becoming rare in her world, however. The ongoing war was becoming more and more gruesome and she truly savored the times when she could just relax and forget. Her father would never allow her to fight in the war; he told her that it wasn't necessary. She had agreed, but secretly wanted to help her father: God's highest Arch Angel. The wind blew and Bulma's white feathers ruffled on her wings.  
  
She swung herself around a tree-trunk, but stopped in mid-step. She darted back behind the tree then slowly wheeled her head around the tree. A man, bloody and battered, was struggly to hold himself up on a tree some feet away from her. Her eyes beamed in excitement; humans were rare in these parts and she had never seen one this up-close before. He was very handsome. He had funny hair that stuck up like a black flame, but she couldn't see his eyes from her far-away place. She knew that he was hurt and she was prepared to step forward and help him until he turned his body to the side. She gasped in fear. He wasn't a human.  
  
He was a demon.  
  
Her kind's worst enemy. The rulers of Hell. She knew he was because he had two pointy, red and black wings. She noticed that his left wing was jagged and hung limply at his side. Being what she was, she couldn't help but feel sorry for him even if he was a demon. She cautiously walked towards him and she could start to see two small horns atop his forehead.  
  
Suddenly, his head jolted up and he glared at her. She grimaced because she knew that her wings were fluttering behind her anxiously, out in clear view. He would know that she was an angel. He sneered at her as she approached even closer and stopped a few feet in front of him. He struggled to unsheathe his sword and his fingers stumbled over it painfully. Bulma's face took on a look of sadness. She reached out to help him, but he growled menacingly. She stepped back in fear.  
  
"Don't touch me, you pathetic creature," he hissed, finally drawing his black sword out. "I'll kill you." He pointed his sword at her neck and she whimpered fearfully.  
  
"I was only trying to help," she said quietly, her wings now lying limp at her sides much like his left wing. He raised an eyebrow and dropped his sword.  
  
"Why?" he asked in curiosity. "I'm a demon; you're an angel. I guess I shall have to add 'blind' to your list of disgusting features."  
  
Her wings fluttered behind her indignantly and she raised her chin a notch. "I am not blind. It is in my spirit to help anyone who needs help, even your kind."  
  
"Well, I don't need your help. Just leave me alone!" he yelled, turning to support himself on the tree again. She glared at him from behind and crossed her arms. He whipped his head around.  
  
"What are you still doing here?!" he screamed, flinching in pain. "I'd kill you if I had the damn strength."  
  
Bulma shook her head in pity. "Killing. Is that all your kind does?" He looked at her skeptically.  
  
"Of course! We hate you angels; you're disgusting!" he retorted. She frowned and wished that it was in her nature to be able to hate. She would sure love to hate this man.  
  
"Well, fine. I'll just wait here until you fall unconscious," she told him matter-of-factly. He gaped at her.  
  
"Are you crazy, woman? I would never--" he stopped as his eyelids closed slowly and he fell to the ground. She smirked at him, unlike herself.  
  
"Would never what?" she asked his unconscious form innocently. "Fall unconscious?"  
  
Bulma smiled smugly to herself and turned to walk away. She stopped in midstep and threw a cursory glance back over her shoulder. She sighed inwardly as she looked at his eyes squinted in pain. Bulma cringed -- the pains of being an angel. You felt sorry for anyone and everyone. She creased her eyebrows in a frown before sighing again. She bent down to heave the demon onto her back, but soon found that to be impossible. Snapping her fingers, the man floated unconsciously behind her as she walked home.  
  
~*~  
  
The blue-haired angel sipped her tea quietly. The young demon had been out cold for the entire week, but his breathing had steadied after the fourth day. She stopped in mid-sip as the man laying in her bed growled. He slowly opened his eyes. They searched the room before landing on a pair of blue orbs. His eyes narrowed dangerously.  
  
"What are you doing here, wench? You will taint my perfection by being this close to me!"  
  
"If anyone will be tainted from our closeness, it is me," she retorted. "Now be quiet, you've been unconscious for a week."  
  
His eyes widened. "A week?! My father will kill me!"  
  
Bulma made an indignant noise at his ungratefulness. "That's not the only thing that was going to kill you. You've lost a lot of blood. I was able to heal your broken wing, but your other wounds will have to heal naturally."  
  
"Bullshit," he muttered. The angel raised a delicate eyebrow when the demon attempted to sit up. He cursed painfully and flopped back down onto the bed. Bulma took another sip of her tea.  
  
"What's your name?" she asked.  
  
He paused. "Vegeta."  
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There's the introduction to this new fic! I hope you've enjoyed the short 'prologue' of sorts. I'll have the next chapter up as soon as possible. Thanks for reading and any feedback on this idea would be greatly appreciated! :) 


	2. I Hate Pretty Scenery

Tenshi and Akuma  
Chapter 2  
  
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Disclaimer: I own everything; worship me! No, really... I don't own anything... T.T  
  
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Bulma hummed quietly as she stirred the broth stewing in the pot. It had been a few days since Vegeta had regained consciousness and needless to say, neither of the two occupants of the house had been too happy since. On top of her irritation with her 'guest,' the young angel had been especially worried about her father. He usually contacted her once a week to inform her of how things were going with the war, but she hadn't heard from him in two weeks. She knew that if she went to where he was stationed, she would be in big trouble. She wasn't allowed to be anywhere near the war. Despite her worries, she was somewhat relieved that he was obviously too busy at the moment to call or visit her. She didn't want a war to break out right in the middle of her house when her father saw that she had a demon living with her.  
  
Speaking of the demon, she heard a grunt and then the sound of a body hitting the floor. She rolled her eyes. It was the fourth time he had attempted to leave, yet had collapsed after a few steps out of the bed. She was getting pretty fed up with it; it was her having to lift his heavy form back onto the bed each time. She huffed. He could stay on the floor this time. She was busy making him food anyway. He was quite anxious to get back to the war. He would rant on and on about how badly his father would punish him for being gone for so long; he was constantly berating himself for being weak, too. Bulma felt sorry for him a little. His father must have been a powerful demon in Hell for Vegeta to be that worried about what his father would do to him when he returned. Of course, Vegeta wouldn't admit that he was worried, just 'irritated.' She tilted the pot to pour the broth into a bowl.  
  
Entering Vegeta's bedroom, she found that she was indeed right. He was still passed out on the floor. She narrowed her eyes in irritation and set the bowl beside his bed. She bent down and grabbed his arm, dragging him across the floor. She breathed heavily as she heaved him back onto the bed. He sure was heavy for someone of his height; she knew it was all of the muscle he possessed. She stepped back by instinct when the demon next to her made a grunt in his unconscious state.  
  
"Stupid woman, where is my food? I've been waiting forever!" he ground out, eyes halfway open. She frowned.  
  
"Is that why you got out of bed again?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, and the fact that I can't wait to get away from you."  
  
She rolled her eyes and shoved his food into his arms before storming out of the room. He almost dropped his bowl in surprise at her display of anger. He grunted and ate his beef broth.  
  
~*~  
  
Bulma sat, pen poised, at her desk. It had now been two and a half weeks since she had heard from her father. She was in the middle of writing a 'threatening' letter.  
  
~Dear Father,  
  
It's been two and a half weeks since I've heard from you. If you don't contact me ASAP, I'm coming after you! I'm worried about you!  
  
Love, Bulma~  
  
She set her pen down and licked the envelope, reeling back in disgust as she did so. They should really consider making bubblegum-flavored envelopes, she thought to herself.  
  
Walking over to set the envelope in the mail slot, she heard her guest yelling in frustration.  
  
"Woman!"  
  
She groaned. What could he possibly want now? He had just eaten and had used the restroom, for crying out loud. She walked around the corner and into his room.  
  
"What is it, Vegeta?" she asked as politely as possible considering she was boiling with anger.  
  
"I want to go outside," he demanded with his arms crossed. He was sitting up in bed; it was clear that he was feeling better.  
  
"I don't know if that's a good idea, Vegeta," Bulma said hesitantly. True, he was feeling better, but he could relapse from the stress of getting up and walking somewhere.  
  
"I feel better and I want to go outside now!" he whined loudly. He reminded Bulma of a child not getting what they wanted. The angel frowned at his manners.  
  
"Well, maybe if you say 'please,' I will help you go outside."  
  
Vegeta made a noise of shock and sat up further in bed. "The hell you say, woman! A demon NEVER says 'please!'" He growled in outrage and Bulma simply smiled.  
  
"Well, then that little demon just won't go outside, now will he?" she retorted smugly. She knew that he was still too weak to make it outside on his own and if he wanted to get out of the house, he'd have to depend on her.  
  
"STUPID FEMALE! Take me outside now!"  
  
Bulma 'hmph'd' before turning around, fully prepared to leave the room. She simply wouldn't put up with being called names when she was the only one kind enough to help him right now. He yelled at her retreating back, but she didn't turn around.  
  
Finally, he screamed, "Damn you! PLEASE, damnit!" He held his head when it throbbed with pain from the stress. Bulma whirled around. She really was quite shocked that he actually said 'please.' It was not in a demon's nature to show any manners or do any kind deeds; it was probably the first time he had ever done so.  
  
She smiled. "Now we're making progress." He scowled at her.  
  
"Alright, dear, we'll go outside," she told him in a voice reserved for a toddler.  
  
"Don't mock me, woman," he warned and she scoffed at his futile attempt to frighten her. She bent over the bed and tried to help Vegeta out of bed. He pushed her away with a sneer before attempting to get up by himself. The attempt proved useless as he slumped over into Bulma's arms. She laughed quietly before pulling him out of bed.  
  
They walked together slowly to the back patio, Vegeta stumbling every now and then. Bulma really felt pity for him. She could only imagine how hard it was for him to accept help from anyone, especially an angel. Once they were outside, Bulma motioned for Vegeta to sit down on the grass to rest. He glared at her 'demand,' but complied.  
  
"You alright?" she asked gently.  
  
"Of course, I am!" he replied defensively. She raised an eyebrow and sat down next to him.  
  
"You don't have to be so defensive all of the time. It was just a simple question," she told him matter-of-factly. He looked at her, but didn't reply. To avoid an awkward silence, she questioned him, "How did you get injured this badly in the war?"  
  
"Some piece of shi-" he paused when she glared at him, "...some angel stabbed me with his sword and pushed me off of a cliff. I was unprepared, so I was unable to begin flying before I hit the ground and broke my wing." Bulma made a sound of sympathy and looked off into the distance. Vegeta breathed in the fresh air next to her; it was wonderful to get out of that cramped room and feel the breeze. He had never appreciated it much before, but he did now since he hadn't had it in a week and a half.  
  
"Pretty out here, isn't it?" she questioned and looked over at him. He looked at her skeptically.  
  
"No."  
  
She frowned at his flat and negative answer. He shifted uncomfortably under her penetrating gaze and looked away, stretching his wings. Bulma noticed that they looked a lot shinier than usual.  
  
"Your wings are quite shiny today," she commented casually, fluttering her own behind her. Vegeta looked over his shoulder curiously.  
  
"Hmm," he stared at them, "It must be the lighting out here." She nodded in return.  
  
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Hmm, uh... how to say this... sorry? Really! I am! I was in a car accident and that's why the chapter is late! Gomen ne... ;.; If anyone wants to be emailed when I have the next chapter posted (hopefully soon!), just let me know in your review. ^_^ Also, someone asked what 'Tenshi and Akuma' had to do with the story. 'Tenshi' means 'Angel' in Japanese and 'Akuma' means 'Devil.' ^_^ 


	3. Such a Handsome, Young Man

Tenshi and Akuma  
Chapter 3  
  
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Disclaimer: I own everything; worship me! No, really... I don't own anything... T.T  
  
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Licking the excess pancake batter off of her fingers, Bulma flipped the pancakes over before twirling around and pouring two glasses of orange juice. She twirled back around to flip the pancakes onto their plates to avoid being burnt. Bulma grinned to herself at a breakfast well-made, then wasted no time in picking the plates of pancakes and glasses of juice up to bring for herself and Vegeta.  
  
"Hey, Vegeta," Bulma called as she entered his room, "You awake yet?"  
  
"Of course, I am!" came the stern reply. "I'm hungry, woman!"  
  
Bulma shook her head. "What have we been practicing?"  
  
Vegeta groaned loudly. "No, I can't say that stupid word anymore! It hurts me to do so! And once I get out of here, I wouldn't ever say it again, so what's the use?" he pleaded stubbornly. Bulma looked at him in deep thought.  
  
"It really hurts you? Physically?"  
  
He nodded exasperatedly. "Yes, stupid! It hurts a demon to do anything..." he shuddered, "...nice."  
  
Bulma nodded in understanding and handed him his plate and glass of juice. He took them gratefully and muttered, almost inaudibly, "Thank you."  
  
Bulma looked at him in surprise. "Oh, you're... you're welcome..."  
  
The odd pair ate their breakfast in silence, each glancing at the other every so often. Vegeta could sit up in bed easily now, but still had a hard time walking around on his own sometimes. Bulma figured that within another week, he'd be pretty much up to par. She knew that he would leave to go back to the war, Hell, wherever once he was able to do so. She knew she would miss him a little, but she also knew that he wouldn't miss her. So ungrateful.  
  
"Helloooo! Bulma, dear!" came a cheery voice. Bulma spit out her orange juice in shock. Vegeta looked up and around him.  
  
"What was that screeching noise? It sounded like a dying boar..." he trailed off curiously. Oh, no, Bulma thought to herself. She turned slightly in her chair next to Vegeta's bed and sure enough, in came her overly-cheerful mother.  
  
"Bulma, honey, we got your letter and-" she stopped abruptly as she saw that her daughter had company, "Oh, my... what have we here? Oh, he's a demon!"  
  
Bulma stood up quickly in fear. "Mother, I can explain-"  
  
"Oh, darling, what are you doing, hiding such a handsome man away from us... goodness, hello, young man! What is your name?" the older, blonde angel babbled away happily. Vegeta scooted back in his bed with a very anxious look on his face. What is WITH these people? he thought to himself.  
  
"Mother," Bulma said loudly, finally gaining her attention, "this is Vegeta. He was hurt badly in the meadow two and a half weeks ago and I helped him." Her mother 'oh'd' in acknowledgement and took it upon herself to go and sit right next to Vegeta, much to his dismay.  
  
"Oh, I've never seen a demon's wing this close-up before! Can I touch it?" she asked and reached her hand out. Vegeta caught it forcefully before she could make contact.  
  
"If you wish to be poisoned," he warned with a scowl on his face. Bulma snapped her fingers and glared at the demon. He took the hint and dropped the older woman's hand and slumped back against the bed.  
  
"Come out of the room so I can speak to you, mother," Bulma said, dragging the other angel up and out of the chair.  
  
"I'll come right back, you sweet, young man!" her mother called out to Vegeta who mumbled an inaudible 'Please, don't.'  
  
After being ushered out of the room by her daughter, the older angel became a little more serious. She looked her daughter in the eye and her usual smile was almost completely gone. Bulma became a little worried; she didn't remember ever seeing her mother like this.  
  
"Mother," Bulma began, "I'm sorry, I felt so bad for him! You always taught me to help anybody in need and that's what I did." Her mother shook her head.  
  
"Dear, I am happy that you've helped him, though God forbid you ever tell your father, but that's not what I'm worried about."  
  
Bulma couldn't hide the shock from gracing her features. If her mother wasn't even worried about the fact that a demon, their arch enemy, was residing in her daughter's house, Bulma was afraid to find out what WAS worrying her mother.  
  
"What do you mean, mother?" she asked hesitantly. Her mother shifted uncomfortably and Bulma noted that her wings were shaking nervously every so often.  
  
"I can't be sure on this, but that boy, he isn't just an ordinary demon. I think he's--" her mother was cut off by an ear-piercing yell.  
  
"WOMAN!"  
  
Bulma groaned. "What is it now, Vegeta?!" she yelled back. She turned to face her mother, all thoughts of the previous conversation gone from both of their minds. "Mother, since you and dad both got my letter, I can assume he's okay and I won't march into battle looking for him, but I better get back to Vegeta. We were getting ready to have breakfast and well... he's like two demons in one body when he's hungry."  
  
Bulma's mother giggled. "Okay, dear." She kissed her daughter on the cheek before disappearing with only a feather left as a trace. Bulma sighed and turned to go back into Vegeta's room.  
  
~*~  
  
Bulma set the empty dishes gently into the sink. Vegeta was now asleep after breakfast, so she could have a little quiet time -- something she hadn't had in a few days. She was quite happy at her medical 'career.' If her estimations were correct, Vegeta would be better than new in a few short days. He was now up and walking around on his own with little difficulty. His only problem still being his exhaustion. Given a few good days of solid rest, he'd be back to his old self.  
  
Bulma didn't want to admit it, but she was a little depressed at the thought of not having the arrogant demon in her presence anymore. She had grown accustomed to having him around for the past two and a half weeks. Though he was rarely even remotely nice to her, she knew he couldn't help it.  
  
She knew that he was more than willing to get out of the house and back into the war. He seemed sure of the fact that the rest of Hell was really missing his presence. She had laughed the first time he had told her that he was probably greatly missed, assuming he was being overly-confident of himself, but something in his eyes made her believe that he wasn't just being his usual arrogant self.  
  
Well, she thought to herself, I know what it's like to feel like I need to be helping, but with me being the Prodigal One, I'll never be allowed to help. She frowned deeply and stared at Vegeta's closed door.  
  
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OH, OH! Pick me! *raises hands* What's a Prodigal One?! Don't worry, people, that last paragraph will be explained throughout the course of the story, so there's no need to ask me about it. I tried to post this in my last chapter, but it didn't show up. The title of this fic DOES indeed relate to the story. Tenshi means Angel and Akuma means Devil in Japanese. So there you have it. Another thing, YES, my chapters are short, but I do try to have them up fairly quickly. They have been and always will be short, so frankly put, get over it. . Onto other matters, if you wish to be emailed when I post a new chapter, let me know in a review. Speaking of reviews, I need some more input on this fic! ;.; 


	4. Don't Call Me The Prodigal One!

Tenshi and Akuma  
Chapter 4  
  
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Disclaimer: I own everything; worship me! No, really... I don't own anything... T.T  
  
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Bulma sleepily rubbed her eyes. She groaned as she tiredly glanced over at the clock on her nightstand. 5:45 AM. She turned her head towards her bedroom window and was pleased to find that the sun had not risen yet.  
  
Perfect time to take a stroll with Juu-kun, she thought to herself. She slowly rose from the bed and proceeded to dress in a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. For the past three years, Bulma and Juunanagou, another angel though of lower status than herself, had made it a point to take an early morning walk together on the seventeenth of each month. They had never missed a 'date' and Bulma always found herself looking forward to it, but she was awfully tired as of late due to her constant watching over Vegeta. She was interested in hearing about how the war was going though and Juunanagou was the only one who would tell the Prodigal One about anything dealing with the war.  
  
She loved that about Juu-kun. He was out-going, fun to be with and he wasn't afraid of her because of her status. She, herself, hadn't even known what a Prodigal One was for the first twelve years of her life. As a child, she had often wondered why most of the other children seemed frightened and wary of her. It had been the cause of a night full of crying on more than one occasion, but on her thirteenth birthday, all had been revealed to her.  
  
The Prodigal One of Heaven was only born once every thousand years and it was a time for celebration... and fear -- the Chosen One of Hell was also born once every thousand years. Bulma recalled the pride her parents held when they had told her she was the Prodigal One. She was the most powerful angel of their time, her powers only being bested by God himself. However, her underlying powers would only come forth if the angels were in a time of great peril. She believed that the war was a time of great peril, but apparently, her powers did not because she had not ascended yet.  
  
Her father told her that she had not ascended because she wasn't needed yet. The angels were winning the war. She wasn't allowed anywhere near the war for the angels feared she would be killed before she ascended. Bulma frowned as she pulled her t-shirt over her head. It was unfair; the Chosen One was fighting in the war, or so her father had told her. But apparently, he hadn't ascended either. The circumstances for the Chosen One were different than the Prodigal One. The Chosen One's ascension dealt with strength. Once strong enough, he/she would become the Chosen One of Hell. Bulma shook her head; those would be very dark times indeed.  
  
She opened and closed her bedroom door quietly as not to rouse her sleeping 'guest' in the next room. As she passed his room, she figured that she had better check on him quickly before leaving. She silently opened his door a crack and peeked inside. Sure enough, he was still sound asleep, laying contently on his stomach. Bulma's eyes roamed over his bare back shamefully. Some of his injuries had healed as scars, but her eyes stopped completely on his wings. They weren't dark red and black anymore, they were... grey? She shook her head. They couldn't be. Maybe she WAS too tired to take that walk with Juunanagou. She closed his door and proceeded to exit her house, Juu-kun already waiting outside.  
  
"G'morning, cutie-pie, sugar-plum, hunny-buns!" the black-haired, male angel greeted jokingly, "What took ya' so long?"  
  
"Oh, I was just checking on..." Bulma stopped abruptly before revealing any information about the demon in her guest room. Unable to lie, she changed topics, "Shall we walk?"  
  
Juunanagou looked at her thoughtfully, but nodded with a grin, "We shall!"  
  
As they walked together, the sun was rising over the horizon and the chilly air was slowly becoming warmer. Bulma held her friend's hand as she engaged him in conversation.  
  
"So, tell me, how are the angels faring in war?" she asked as they walked on at a leisurely pace. He cast a sideway glance at her.  
  
"Well," he started, "I haven't been the past couple of weeks because I was off of shift, but from what I hear, we are doing fairly well. We were doing somewhat badly up until I took my off-shift, but now we have come out ahead. The Chosen One hasn't been seen much lately for some reason."  
  
Bulma raised her eyebrows. "Oh, really?" Juunanagou nodded.  
  
"Yeah, as for me, I think he's off somewhere... training, so he can ascend," he said gloomily. "If he does, it could be very bad for us. We can't even imagine the amount of power he or she will have upon ascension."  
  
Bulma shook her head to herself. "Yeah, then maybe I will finally ascend and be able to help."  
  
At that, Juunanagou grinned and ruffled the hair on the top of her head. "And how is our little prodigy doing?"  
  
She glared at him in return. "Don't call me that, Juu!"  
  
He chuckled and drew her in closer to him, throwing his arm around her neck. "Aw, you're just too cute for words when someone calls you the Prodigal One!" She slapped him on his arm for his teasing antics.  
  
"Because I don't like being called that!" she retorted scornfully. He looked at her with a smirk tugging at his lips.  
  
"Very well, B-chan. I need to be getting to the post though," he told her regretfully. Her face took on a look of sadness, but she nodded.  
  
"Don't go and die on me, okay?" Bulma requested seriously and he smirked at her.  
  
"Ha! I can't die!" he laughed and rubbed her cheek with his thumb, "I'll catch you later." With that, he turned and began walking in the other direction. Bulma looked after him and he glanced at her over his shoulder.  
  
"It's a shame not all of us can just disappear and reappear all over the place like your mother!" he laughed and Bulma smiled. He waved and she turned around to head back to her house. She was sure Vegeta would be awake by now.  
  
~*~  
  
Vegeta yawned as he opened his eyes. He looked around him, feeling oddly strange all of a sudden. He shivered unconsciously as he felt renewed inside. He sat up in bed and couldn't help but feel that something was amiss.  
  
He reached up to feel his flame-like hair, touching his horns along the way. Well, I'm not bald, he thought to himself. Shrugging, he stood from the bed. He stretched lazily and listened for any sign that his angelic savior might already be awake. He was awake earlier than usual as the sun was just now becoming visible over the horizon. He wasn't sure of the time Bulma usually awoke.  
  
Leaving his room, he called out, "Woman, you awake?" Upon hearing no response, he frowned.  
  
"She's probably out frollicking with the squirrels or whatever the hell it is angels do," he muttered cynically. He walked into the kitchen and looked around expectantly. When nothing happened, he made a sound of frustration.  
  
"Oh, don't tell me these people are too noble to have servants! The woman's gone and no one is here to feed me!" he yelled, throwing his hands up irritably. He grumbled to himself and stormed out of the kitchen, passing by a mirror as he did. His ebony eyes bulged out of their sockets and he back-tracked a few steps.  
  
"What... the fuck..." he trailed off. His once dark and devilish wings were now a shiny grey. He spread his wings with his mouth hanging open. Unable to fathom the sudden change, he continued to spread and flex his 'new' set of wings.  
  
Suddenly, a thought struck him and he walked outside. Crouching down next to a tree, he concentrated his energy. Without notice, he punched a hole completely through the tree with practically no effort. Pulling his hand back, he stared at it in wonder. He looked up and grinned maliciously. "I have ascended."  
  
"Vegeta, is it okay for you to be out here by yourself?" came Bulma's concerned voice from behind him. He heard her gasp.  
  
"What happened to your wings?! Are you okay?" she asked, running up to him. "Oh, no, you're really sick now."  
  
He didn't answer her desperate pleas for his health. He spun around, drawing his sword as he did, and pressed the sharp blade tightly against Bulma's throat. She screamed and fell backwards to the ground.  
  
"What are you doing?!" she cried fearfully.  
  
He dropped down to the ground, covering her body with his. Pressing his sword even harder against her exposed neck, he smirked evilly.  
  
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DUN, DUN, DUN! Heheh... I'm pretty evil, too, aren't I? ^-~ I get no love on this story... for the first time in like two years... I'll beg: REVIEW, PEOPLE! Let me know what rocks, let me know what sucks! Just let me know! Oi... ;.; 


	5. Blood? Not My Thing

Tenshi and Akuma  
Chapter 5  
  
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Disclaimer: I own everything; worship me! No, really... I don't own anything... T.T  
  
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Bulma gasped in pain as the blade cut deeper into her throat. It was just pressed deep enough to hurt her, but not kill her. She watched Vegeta's eyes gleam with a red evilness as he saw a few drops of blood trickle down Bulma's throat and seep into her grey sweatshirt.  
  
"Does this hurt?" he asked softly, raising his eyes to meet her frightened ones. Bulma suddenly felt something that was foreign to her: anger.  
  
"Of course, it does, baka!" she spat, surprised at her tone of voice. He seemed to be surprised, as well, for he tossed his head back and laughed loudly. He slowly lowered it to glare at her. She coughed, a few drops of blood rising up from her throat and onto the grass around them.  
  
"Why are you doing this?" she pleaded quietly, too afraid to inch away for fear that he may press the blade into her neck further. He was a demon, he was certainly cabable of doing so. She mentally cursed at herself for being so stupid. Why did I ever help him? she wondered to herself, though she already knew the answer. As an angel, it was her 'job' to help anyone who was in trouble. She knew that many other angels wouldn't have done the same thing had they been in her shoes, but she was the Prodigal One. It made her even more vulnerable to pain and grief.  
  
Suddenly, the smirk disappeared off of Vegeta's face and he frowned. Dropping his sword to his side, he turned to face away from her. "Against everything I know, I'll let you live. A life for a life."  
  
Without a word more, he took to the sky, his shiny, grey wings waving behind him as she flew in the opposite direction. Tears spilled from Bulma's eyes in shock, fear, pain and relief. Almost fainting from the overwhelming event, Bulma struggled to stand. Her eyes followed his movements in the sky until she could see him no longer.  
  
A life for a life? she wondered. What could he mean by that? Is it because I saved his life that he didn't kill me? Bulma shakily walked back into her house.  
  
"I know what I'll do," she said, listening hard to the sound of her own voice to drown out her fear, "I'll go see mother." Nodding to herself, her legs still shaking a little bit, she changed into some new, non-bloody clothes. She held her hand to her throat to heal her still-bleeding wound. Either talking to herself or singing loudly, any noise to keep her mind off of her near-death experience, she stepped out of her house and took to the sky.  
  
~*~  
  
Vegeta touched down on the ground before his father. He spit to the side of him and crossed his arms impatiently. When his father finally turned around to acknowledge the intruder, his eyes widened.  
  
"Vegeta! You're alive! And you've... you've..." His father stared at him with a gaping mouth. The younger demon uncrossed his arms.  
  
"Ascended?" Vegeta supplied with a smirk gracing his lips. "Yes, father, I've ascended." He waved his grey wings behind him to further note his declaration. He smirked at the older clone of him, only with a goatee, as his father took in the news.  
  
"I say! Well done, boy, well done!" the older demon said, clapping his son on the back. "Those pathetic angels won't stand a chance now!"  
  
Vegeta suddenly scowled. "Tell me, who tried to kill me?" It was more of a demanding statement than a question and his father smirked, happy to be able to reveal the answer to his question and even more.  
  
"The highest archangel of God. And there's something else we've discovered... he has a daughter. The Prodigal One." He paused as his son gasped in shock. "What say we kidnap his precious daughter? I'm sure you'd like to kill her in exchange for him trying to kill you, yes?"  
  
Vegeta nodded eagerly at this new-found news, more than ready to payback his pain ten-fold. His father grinned maliciously. "We shall capture her then and bring her to you."  
  
The Chosen One nodded his approval and thought to himself, Good, this will get my mind off of that blue bitch. At least I'll probably never see her again.  
  
~*~  
  
"Juunanagou, how is my dear Bulma doing?" Bulma's mother asked the long-haired angel. He shrugged and sat down on the couch. He thanked her as he took the tea she offered him.  
  
"She seemed to be doing just fine. She--" He looked over at the door as it opened and in walked their topic of conversation. Bulma's mother clapped gleefully.  
  
"Hi, dear!" she exclaimed, ushering her daughter over to a chair.  
  
Bulma managed a small smile. "Hi, mother. Hey, Juu-kun." Juunanagou shook his head disapprovingly at his friend and set his tea down on its saucer.  
  
"You shouldn't be this close to where the war is. Do you know what your father will say?" he reprimanded her, though hugging her at the same time. Bulma shrugged.  
  
"I just wanted to come visit. I'm sick of being stuck by myself!" she pouted. He stared intently at her, understanding that she must be bored out of her mind.  
  
Juunanagou sighed regretfully. "Unfortunately, I can't stay. I am to be at post in twenty minutes. I'll talk to you later though, alright?" Bulma nodded and bid him farewell. She sat back down in her chair and faced her mother.  
  
"How is father? I haven't seen him in ages, it seems..." she trailed off sadly. Her mother patted her on the shoulder and handed her a cup of tea. Bulma slowly reached her hand out and took it, weary with sorrow.  
  
"He is fine and you'll probably be able to see him later tonight if you hang around here!" the ditzy blonde replied in her cheerful voice. Bulma perked up.  
  
"Really? He'll be coming back home?"  
  
Bulma's mother nodded and smiled at her daughter. "Excellent," Bulma replied, "I'll stay here and wait for him!"  
  
They sat in a comfortable silence together until suddenly, Bulma's hearing picked up a rustle in the bushes. She turned to her mother. "Are you expecting someone?" Puzzled when her mother shook her head 'no,' she stood from her chair to go investigate. Probably Juu-kun; he must've forgotten something, she thought to herself. Walking outside, she didn't see anyone, so she shrugged.  
  
"Guess no one's he-- ...AHH!" Bulma screamed as a hand wrapped its way around her mouth tightly. Her mother ran outside and gasped in fright at her daughter's predicament. She started to run up to her daughter, but was pulled back by another demon. Bulma struggled to pry the rough hand from her mouth.  
  
"Mother, get father!" she yelled before the hand was clamped back over her mouth. Bulma's mother hesitated to leave her daughter, but soon enough disappeared to find her husband. The demon who was holding the older angel gasped in surprise and looked all around him for the disappeared angel.  
  
"Daddy won't save you," the demon holding her from behind whispered into her ear. The voice sounded familiar, but she couldn't place a name to it. The demon then directed his attention to the other men surrounding her, "Come! We'll bring this pathetic thing to my son to play with!"  
  
"What do you mean?!" Bulma screamed, her words muffled by his smoldering hand. No sooner than she had spoken, they had lifted into the air. She kicked and screamed, trying desperately to free herself from his deathgrip, but was unable to do so. He was simply too strong.  
  
~*~  
  
"My son, we have brought the Prodigal One. Would you like to go have some fun with her?" the older, flame-haired man asked with a chuckle. Vegeta nodded.  
  
"Yes, father, I think I would enjoy some quality time with her immensely. That is... if I can stand to look at her hideous face," Vegeta said in a disgusted tone. His father shook his head.  
  
"Hideous? Quite the contrary." Vegeta just raised his eyebrows at this. He stopped outside of the dungeon doors as his father entered to 'introduce' him.  
  
"Girl, I have brought you a visitor: the Chosen One. He wants to... have a 'chat' with you," he laughed when Bulma didn't even bother to raise her head. Then Vegeta entered the room, looking around him. There were shackles hanging from the damp and dark walls along with various torture tools. He looked over at their captive prisoner. He made a shocked sound. Blue hair was hanging down in front of the girl's face in a disarrayed mess.  
  
"Bulma?!" he yelled, catching the girl's attention. She slowly raised her head with much difficulty. Her face was covered in cuts and bruises and her white gown was torn in many places.  
  
"Vegeta..." she murmured quietly before falling into unconsciousness.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
So, now they know each other's position! What will happen next... I know, but you'll have to wait. ^-~ I think I have few readers on this fic, but I do appreciate those of you who do bother to read it and I hope you enjoy it. :) 


	6. I Thought We Were Even

Tenshi and Akuma  
Chapter 6  
  
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Disclaimer: I own everything; worship me! No, really... I don't own anything... T.T  
  
A/N to Bear-chan: My dear Bear-chan, you should know that it takes me a few chapters to introduce the characters and the story. But never fear, I always have a few twists, turns and secrets up my sleeve. ^_~  
  
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Vegeta's father looked at his son in shock. "Do you know this piece of trash, Vegeta?!"  
  
Vegeta was drawn from his stupor at the sound of his father's voice. He quickly closed his gaping mouth and turned to face him, his face a stony mask once again.  
  
"Yes, I have attempted to kill her before, but she got away," he replied, only half of it being the truth. His father's facial features relaxed somewhat and he smirked. He looked at the blue-haired Prodigal One again and chuckled.  
  
"Well, she won't get away this time," the older demon said in an obvious tone. Vegeta nodded.  
  
"Leave us be." His father nodded and turned to leave the room. Vegeta slowly whipped his head around to look at Bulma once again. She was still unconscious and her head hung loosely down at her chest. Crimson blood dripped slowly from her wounds and Vegeta almost cringed. Almost.  
  
He walked up closer to inspect her even more. Her wings seemed to be unbroken and fine. She had vicious cuts across her back, most likely from soundlashing: a favorite type of torture among dungeon demons. Her white gown was ripped in several places, revealing the sides of her milky-white breasts. Her gorgeous blue locks were stained with dry blood and her face was cut in many places. Her arms and legs were decorated with black and purple bruises. Vegeta didn't think he saw one area of her body that wasn't marred with at least a scratch. And this was all before Vegeta himself would have a chance to torture her. But what was left to do to her?  
  
He looked at her in silent debate. He had already chosen not to kill her once; they were even in his books. He drew his sword from its sheath, much like he had done just earlier that day. He slowly placed it to her abdomen. He looked back up towards her head, but her face will still down and hidden from view. Vegeta shook his head and willed himself to press the blade through his enemy's stomach.  
  
Come on, Vegeta, he yelled at himself mentally. You weakling! He pressed the blade a little harder, earning an unconscious flinch from the Prodigal One. Vegeta growled at himself for not having completed the 'job' yet. After a few minutes of complete silence, he dropped his sword.  
  
"DAMNIT!" he yelled, punching the stone wall beside his captive prisoner. He grabbed Bulma by the neck and shook her roughly. Her head flopped to the side. "Look what you've done to me, you bitch!" He shook her again, but she failed to respond in her unconscious state. He released her and walked swiftly to the other side of the dungeon cell and grabbed the key off of the wall. He punched the wall yet again before whirling around to glare at her venemously.  
  
"It's all your fault..." he trailed off in a whisper. Wanting nothing more than to simply die right then and there, Vegeta slowly walked back over to Bulma. Still glaring hatefully at her, he unlocked the shackles from her ankles. Pausing, he rose to his feet and unlocked each of her wrists from their bound places above her head. He caught her in his arms as she fell after being released. He tossed the key behind him and situated her comfortably in his arms.  
  
"Shit, how do I get out of here?" he mumbled. He was sure there would be guards right outside the door, but how smart would they be? Weighing his options, he chose to opt for trying to leave with a lie. She was still unconscious and her breathing was shallow, so that would help. He would simply have to get by them before they noticed she was indeed still breathing. Banging on the cell door to get the guards to open it, he glanced down at his captive angel again.  
  
"I wish to throw her dead carcass off of the highest mountain," he told the guards simply as they opened the door. They simply mumbled an incoherent response as he bustled past them quickly. Once out of the dungeons, Vegeta let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding.  
  
~*~  
  
Vegeta sat, scowling, with his arms crossed over his chest next to his bed. The blue-haired angel was currently still passed out in *his* bed and was covered by *his* black, satin sheets. He had wondered whether he should just dump her on the floor or not, but he remembered that she had provided him with a bed when he was hurt. He growled. He just knew that saying that 'please' word would make him start being... he shuddered... nice. He looked towards Bulma and she groaned and slowly opened her eyes. About time! She had been knocked out for a day. Of course he, himself, had been out for a week. He chose to just ignore that fact though.  
  
"And so the tables have turned," he stated sarcastically. Bulma opened her eyes fully and focused on her surroundings. She noticed that the room was very dark, it being bathed in blacks and reds. The bed itself was a cherry wood, the finest she was sure, and was covered in black, satin sheets. She shivered at the coolness and Vegeta rose to grab her a warmer blanket. He tossed it aimlessly onto the bed and left her to cover herself.  
  
"And here I thought you were ill and that was why your wings look like that," she replied, just as cynical as he -- if not more. He scoffed.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me you were the Prodigal One?" he growled. She looked at him as if he was crazy. Why would she tell him? He'd have even more of a reason to kill her!  
  
"Why didn't you tell me you were the Chosen One?" she responded with a question of her own. Vegeta glared at her and chose not to answer. After a few moments of silence, he spoke up in an irritated manner.  
  
"I expect you out of here as soon as you can walk. I've already helped you enough," he spat. A hurt look crossed her face, but she hid it well.  
  
"You're such a..." she trailed off unsure. His eyebrows rose.  
  
"Such a what? Finish, woman," he commanded. Bulma jumbled over her words.  
  
"I cannot!"  
  
He stared at her. "Come on, you made me say that 'please' word. Say it. Call me an asshole."  
  
She gaped at him. He was telling her, an angel, to say a naughty word! It simply couldn't be done. "I can't say something so horrible! I'm an angel."  
  
He chuckled. "If a demon can say something nice, an angel can say something mean. Say it."  
  
She shook her head no feverishly, wincing as her head began to throb.  
  
"It'll make you feel better," he coaxed her.  
  
She looked at him in surprise and suspicion. "Saying something bad won't make me feel better!"  
  
"Woman, call me an asshole," he told her in a commanding tone. "Say it loud, say it proud!"  
  
She laughed and shook her head. "Fine, you're such a... meanie-head..." she trailed off, blushing profusely. He face-faulted.  
  
"Well, I guess that's a start," he said sarcastically. They sat in silence for a few more minutes. Bulma struggled to sit up. Jumping in surprise at Vegeta's touch, she allowed him to pull her up into a sitting position. He saw how she had spread the blanket over her. He shook his head to himself and picked up the crumpled up blanket. She called out in protest, but he stared at her icily and she quieted. He shook out the blanket and spread it over her body in a non-messy fashion. Smoothing it out, he made sure every part of her body except for her head was covered. Bulma pulled the blanket up to her neck.  
  
"Thank you," she said quietly. He looked somewhat uncomfortable. He flopped back down into his chair ungraciously.  
  
"By the way, be sure to tell your father that I appreciate him trying to kill me," he mumbled angrily. Bulma gasped.  
  
"It was my father who tried to kill you?"  
  
Vegeta nodded and strained himself to keep his eyes anywhere but on the figure laying in his bed. Tears filled in Bulma's eyes, but she tried desperately to hide them. Vegeta didn't miss them, however, and she knew it.  
  
"I'm sorry, Vegeta," she whispered and Vegeta bore his unfeeling eyes into her teary ones. He reached out to grasp her hand. Her tiny, frail hand shook in his larger, rougher one. He raised her hand to her face and set it on her cuts. She winced.  
  
"Heal yourself," he told her. Suddenly her hand began to glow and the cuts upon her body began to disappear. He noticed that she was unable to heal the bruises.  
  
"Bruises have to heal naturally," she supplied as if reading his thoughts and he nodded solemnly. She roved her hand higher upon his arm and drew him nearer to her. His instinct was to pull away, but she frowned and pulled him closer still. He stiffened as she bent her head and closed her eyes. She slowly moved her head forward to place her lips upon his. Just before contact, a loud banging on Vegeta's door brought forth an interruption. Bulma and Vegeta pulled away from each other quickly. He rose from his chair and opened the door a small crack.  
  
"Oh, shit," he muttered and slammed it closed on the person's face. "You have to get out of here, woman." Bulma flustered to get out of bed fearfully. She was shaky at first, but sooned regained her strength. She spun around searching for an exit other than the door. Vegeta quickly pointed to the open window and she ran to it. She turned around to give him one last glance before flying out of the window, off towards her house far away. Vegeta watched her leave and was curious about the sadness he was feeling. He couldn't ponder for long, however, for he remembered he had a guest. He cleared his throat and threw open the door again.  
  
"What?!" he yelled. The other demon threw his hands up in mock-surrender.  
  
"Chill, Vegeta!" Radditz yelled, chuckling. "You had a girl in here, didn't you?!" Vegeta froze. "Now which demoness could it have been..." the other demon trailed off, with his finger tapping on his chin thoughtfully.  
  
"There wasn't a woman in here, you fool. What do you want?!" Vegeta demanded in irritation. Radditz invited himself inside.  
  
"Your father said you disappeared from the dungeons with the Prodigal One. Where'd you go? You did kill her, right?" the long-haired man asked, seating himself on Vegeta's black-cushioned couch.  
  
"Yes, I did; none of your business; yes, I did," the Chosen One answered all three questions. Radditz grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.  
  
"Alright, so come back to camp then! Show off your super-cool Chosen One skills!" Radditz exclaimed, throwing a few punches at air. Vegeta frowned and glanced toward the window. Radditz noticed this and stood. He grabbed Vegeta by the wrist and dragged him out of the house. Vegeta yanked his arm from Radditz's.  
  
"Quit, fool! I am perfectly capable of walking on my own," he stated sarcastically. Vegeta looked around in the sky for any signs of his blue-haired angel. Erm, scratch that, not MY blue-haired angel, he corrected himself. He looked over his shoulder as he heard another voice from afar.  
  
"There you are, pathetic brother of mine!" Turles yelled and Radditz gave him the finger. The younger man walked up to join the other two demons, admiring Vegeta's wings along the way. "Damn, Vegeta, it's true then!"  
  
Vegeta smirked. How he loved to receive compliments and have his ego boosted even higher than it already was. One could never be too proud of themself! "Yes, it's true," he answered simply.  
  
"Hey, I'm hungry," Radditz whined, "Can we go back to camp?" Vegeta and Turles rolled their eyes.  
  
"Yes," Vegeta sighed, rubbing his face. Radditz looked at Turles questioningly and he just shrugged.  
  
"Who knows what's up with him?" Turles whispered to his brother. Vegeta growled.  
  
"I heard that."  
  
Chuckling nervously, Radditz and Turles took to the air. Adding extra 'umph' to his wings for purposes none other than just showing off, Vegeta also arose into the sky, headed for camp.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
There you all have it! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. The story is picking up now and hopefully, I'll have a few twists and turns in store for you. I know the layout of how I want the story to go, I just need to map in the details. If you'd like to be e-mailed when I have new chapters posted, let me know in a review. ^_^ 


	7. Quit Flustering Over Me!

Tenshi and Akuma  
Chapter 7  
  
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Disclaimer: I own everything; worship me! No, really... I don't own anything... T.T  
  
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Bulma touched her feet down onto the ground gently. She looked around her at the forestry surrounding her home. She had always appreciated nature for everything it was worth and loved it with a passion. She was beginning to appreciate it even more though with recent events. Her life seemed to be threatened time and time again within just a few days. She glanced at the front door of her house to see her best friend come running out of the door.  
  
"Bulma!" Juunanagou shouted in a very worried tone. He toppled over her and knocked them both to the ground, suffocating her with his hugs.  
  
"Oh, the Heavens, we were so worried about you!" Bulma's mother cried as she also ran outside to jump onto her daughter in happiness. "Your father is still out looking for you even. I'll go get him!" Before Bulma could utter a word, her mother had disappeared. Within a blink of an eye, however, the bubbly angel had reappeared. Bulma looked at her quizzically, patting Juunanagou on the shoulder.  
  
"He'll be right here!" her mother supplied before immersing her daughter into another life-threatening hug. Bulma laughed a little and pried the two angels off of her.  
  
"I'm alright, really!" she tried to convince them, but to no avail.  
  
"You're bruised! Who did this to you?!" Juunanagou shouted angrily, causing Bulma to flinch. She shrugged cautiously.  
  
"Just some dungeon demons, but I, ah... managed to escape," she said, only not revealing HOW she managed to escape. "I'm okay though!"  
  
Her mother was still wailing and Juunanagou looked as if he could knock the lights out of someone. His icy, blue eyes were flashing dangerously. It was something she wasn't used to seeing in an angel. Bulma looked up quickly as she heard her father calling out to her. He touched down on the ground and Bulma wasn't surprised when she was knocked to the ground yet again.  
  
"By God, Bulma, you have no idea how worried we were!" he exclaimed, hugging her and pressing kisses on her forehead. She hugged him back gratefully.  
  
"It's been so long since I've seen you, daddy," she said quietly into the crook of his neck. He nodded silently.  
  
"Yes, too long," he agreed. "How did you escape?"  
  
Bulma froze. There was no way she could lie and even if she was able to, she couldn't bring herself to do it -- not to her father, most of all. She stuttered, looking for a way to avoid telling the three of them, but without lying. She looked to her mother for help. Somehow, her mother knew.  
  
"Well, she's safe and that's what matters!" her mother cut in and Bulma was grateful. She ushered everybody into her daughter's house for 'some tea.' She stopped her daughter at the door and looked at her expectantly.  
  
"Mother, I think you already know how I escaped," Bulma said matter-of-factly. The other lady nodded solemnly.  
  
"Handsome and courageous, that flame-haired demon was, I see!" she exclaimed, back to her bubbly self and Bulma smiled. She was happy to be back home and safe, if only for a little while. She gripped her mother's hand as they walked inside.  
  
~*~  
  
"Father! Bloody hell, old man, where are you?!" Vegeta shouted as he, Radditz and Turles landed at the camp site. He crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently. He should never have to be kept waiting!  
  
"Yes, yes, here I am. Have some patience, brat!" his father reprimanded him as he stomped out of the captain's tent. He stopped a foot in front of Vegeta and stabbed his finger into his shorter son's chest. "Why the hell do you keep disappearing for days at a time?"  
  
Vegeta shrugged and feigned ignorance. "Honestly, father, am I not even allowed to enjoy the flowers and bask in the sunshine? I'm beginning to think you're just very unappreciative of this beautiful world around us." he stated, every word dripping with sarcasm. "Nature is just so wonderful and I only wish to enjoy it." The Chosen One blasted a nearby tree right from under its roots.  
  
His father frowned. "Studying to be a comedian, are we?" Vegeta shrugged indifferently. After 'rescuing' Bulma, he had come to realize that what he was hoping for inside would never happen. He was a demon; she was an angel. It was impossible. They were destined to be against each other and he knew he had to accept that.  
  
"Come on, Vegeta, you've been gone long enough. We need to start kicking some ass!" Radditz said enthusiastically. Vegeta shook his head without turning around.  
  
"Shut up, Radditz."  
  
Radditz scowled. "All I was saying was that these angels have lived long enough--"  
  
"Shut up, Radditz!"  
  
"--And I think that now is the time to attack--"  
  
"SHUT UP, RADDITZ!" Turles, Vegeta and his father all yelled in unison. Radditz turned away and pouted. Vegeta looked back at his father.  
  
"When are we attacking?" he asked, walking inside the tent. The three other demons followed him inside and they all took a seat around a map.  
  
"Two days from now at dawn," his father instructed, smoothing out the map. He pointed at a specific location hidden deep in the forests. Vegeta noted that it wasn't too far from Bulma's home. Not that he cared.  
  
"That's one of their camp sites, yes?" Turles asked curiously and the oldest demon present nodded. Vegeta rubbed his chin in thought and suddenly felt something rubbing up against his wings. He turned around sharply and caught Radditz's hand.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing, Radditz?" Vegeta asked dangerously. The long-haired demon grinned sheepishly and shrugged.  
  
"Just wanted to feel 'em. Hey, don't look at me like that; Turles wanted to feel them, too!" Radditz cried in self-defense. Vegeta whirled his head around to Turles who just shook his head quickly. The Chosen One slowly looked at Radditz again.  
  
"And you're an A Class demon?" he asked ironically.  
  
~*~ Two days later...  
  
Bulma had slept most of the two days after she had returned. Her parents had moved her from her house since it was no longer safe and into the main camp site with them. Her bruises were healing nicely with help from one of ChiChi's, another angel friend, elixirs. The only downside to the elixir was the fact that it made Bulma exhausted and quite frequently at that. She figured it was a small price to pay in order to be healed twice as fast as she would have been if she would have just let them heal naturally.  
  
She yawned as she slowly opened her eyes. She was alone -- for once since she had returned -- and judging by the darkness outside of her open window, it was fair to say that it was nighttime. She slowly sat up in bed and rubbed her aching forehead. Bulma slowed her breathing as she heard two voices outside of her bedroom murmuring quicking in hushed voices.  
  
"Yes, but I fear for her life," her father said quietly. Bulma strained her ears.  
  
"Well, we all do, but she will save us," now her mother spoke.  
  
"The price for her saving us is unbearable though," her father responded painfully. Bulma tilted her head in confusion. She slowly got out of bed and walked over to the door.  
  
"What in the Heavens do you mean?" her mother asked, just as confused as Bulma. She jerked in surprise as the daughter in question eased open the door quietly. "Oh, wonderful! You're awake, dear. Hungry, yes?"  
  
Bulma shook her head. "Is it very late?"  
  
Her mother smiled. "No, it's actually just before sunrise. About 6:00 AM." Bulma beamed.  
  
"Oh, good! I'm up bright and early to start a new day!" Suddenly feeling more alive and replenished, the Prodigal One skipped down the stairs and headed outside. She stopped in mid-step as she found she was not alone.  
  
"You've read my mind, Juu-kun!" she exclaimed with a giggle. She walked over to the tree he was sitting under and sat down next to him, surprising him.  
  
"Bulma, you're awake! Come to see the sunrise, as well, I suspect?" he asked with a smile worthy of boyish charm. His blue-haired friend grinned. Together they watched the sun come up and show it's glorious face just over the horizon. It was another tradition of theirs that they liked to share as often as possible. Juunanagou tensed and stood up suddenly as the sun was now in full view.  
  
Bulma cocked an eyebrow. "Is something wrong?" She stood up next to him and waited patiently for an answer. His only response was a silent one which included him pushing her behind him forcefully.  
  
"Juu-kun, what's going..." she trailed off as she too saw many figures off in the distance. She watched the sky in both fear and curiosity. Slowly, about one hundred demons landed in front of the only two angels which happened to be outside. Needless to say, Bulma and Juunanagou were overwhelmed.  
  
"Go inside. Now, Bulma!" Juunanagou yelled. She stood frozen in fear. Many more angels, including Bulma's parents, came running outside wondering about the commotion. Many gasps could be heard as around one hundred angels stood in front of an equally large group of demons.  
  
Vegeta stepped out in front of the rest of the demons. "No, stay awhile, darling," he sneered. Bulma's eyes widened. She slowly stepped out from behind Juunanagou and a few steps in front of the rest of the angels.  
  
"I won't leave you, Juunanagou, or anyone else for that matter," she responded to her friend's order though still looking directly at Vegeta with an icy stare. He snarled.  
  
"Oh, you'll leave your little boytoy alright. Just not by choice," the Chosen One stated, earning a few laughs from other demons. Turles and Radditz stepped up beside their friend.  
  
"Let's can their saintly little asses," Radditz said with a smirk. Turles chuckled. Vegeta shook his head though.  
  
"No, this is between me and Miss Thang. Let's see the powers of the Prodigal One!" he exclaimed arrogantly. Bulma frowned. She had not ascended like he had. She knew that she would be no match for him. She weighed her options wisely.  
  
"And if I refuse?" she asked quietly, shifting her weight consciously. Vegeta laughed and closed his eyes.  
  
"Let's just say... that wouldn't be the wisest of decisions."  
  
Before Bulma could question his confusing statement, Vegeta had Juunanagou pulled over to his side with his arm wrapped tightly around his throat. Bulma stood in shock at his god-like speed. She slowly regained her composure, but felt anger -- and fear -- like no other. She had to do something. Juunanagou would die otherwise. She growled ferally, much unlike herself. Her black-haired friend struggled in Vegeta's impossible grip.  
  
Bulma's mother gasped in shock as her daughter's aura began to show itself as a golden glow around her. Her gorgeous blue locks began to float around her though there was no wind. Vegeta raised an eyebrow.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A late chapter, I know. I got into a small writer's block there for a little while. I don't think I'm completely out of it, as you can tell from this chapter, but I'll continue to write and hopefully it will just flow out of me. If you can't tell yet, I think Radditz is just a cute and cuddly, big oaf. I love making him a comic relief sweetie in my fics. ^-~ Anyway, thanks for reading. ^_^ 


	8. Hey, That's Unfair!

Tenshi and Akuma  
Chapter 8  
  
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Disclaimer: I own everything; worship me! No, really... I don't own anything... T.T  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Vegeta grinned as he felt Bulma's energy soar through the roof. "Yes, woman, ascend! I wish for a real challenge!" His grin widened crazily as his excitement rose. He finally remembered that he still held that long-haired girly-man that the woman was so fond of.  
  
"Here, Radditz!" he shouted over his shoulder as he threw Juunanagou back to the other demon effortlessly. Juunanagou howled with frustration as he was trapped, yet again by a death grip on his neck. He elbowed the demon holding him which only succeeded in getting Radditz's attention.  
  
"Yo, man," Radditz said, smiling cheekily. Juunanagou face-faulted and wondered at his captive's idiocy. He whirled his head around to the place where Bulma stood, her blue eyes now dilated to a solid white.  
  
"Get him, Bulma!" he shouted, earning a disagreeing nudge from Radditz.  
  
"Get her, Vegeta!" Radditz countered, slapping his hand over Juunanagou's mouth. He kicked and squirmed in his captor's hands until finally Radditz released him due to a loss of interest in trying to hold him down. Juunanagou glared at the demon before darting back over to 'his' side. Not too many seemed to notice, however, for all attention was still directed at Bulma. Her pupils had returned to their original azure shade, but her hair still floated around her mystically and she glowed golden. Vegeta regained his composure after a few moments.  
  
"That's it? You didn't even get cool wings like me!" he joked sarcastically. Bulma didn't reply and it seemed as if she was staring straight through him.  
  
"You fear for your Chosen One's life," Bulma's cool and liquidy voice stated solemnly, staring pointedly at Turles behind Vegeta. Vegeta whipped his head around and glared at Turles who gulped.  
  
"You don't trust my abilities, soldier?" he sneered and Turles shook his head quickly.  
  
"And you think I'm beautiful," Bulma said, now directing her attention towards Radditz. He jumped back and shook his head violently.  
  
"I don't either!" he yelled defensively. She didn't respond, but slowly looked Vegeta in the eyes.  
  
"Hey, bitch," he warned, "Don't think you can go reading my mind whenever you want. Stupid Prodigal piece of shit."  
  
"You wish to defeat me. You do not care about sides, only winning," she informed him. He growled at her for completely ignoring his warning. He began to chuckle quietly.  
  
"Yes, you are right. Only power matters! I do not care what side I am on as long as I win!" he told her, earning a reproving glare from his father though Vegeta didn't see it. "Unfortunately for you, one of us will die and I don't happen to be on your side."  
  
Bulma closed her eyes and shook her head to herself. "You are blinded by your arrogance."  
  
"Arrogant, am I?!" Vegeta howled, struggling to keep his anger in check. The Prodigal One merely nodded slowly, her eyes still closed.  
  
"But we shall battle since it is what you desire," Bulma said with her eyes now open. Vegeta crossed his arms.  
  
"Fine, I'm glad you've accepted your death sentence." With that, Vegeta jumped into the air and beckoned Bulma to him. Not being one to disappoint, she began to glow brighter as she slowly ascended to join him in the air. He wasted no time in lunging at her. He was surprised when she easily moved to the side to avoid him.  
  
"Vegeta," she said quietly. He snarled and lunged at her again. She moved to the other side this time.  
  
"What?" he growled, throwing a fist. She moved her arm up to block his punch and kneed him in the stomach at the same time. He grasped his abdomen for a second, but quickly recomposed himself.  
  
"I know something else about you," she continued. She spotted her mother, father and Juunanagou looking up at her in worry. She threw a reassuring glance down at them. Vegeta kicked out at her, but Bulma looked up in time to spin out of harm's way. She threw another punch of her own, only to have it blocked fiercely.  
  
"And what is that, oh-great-mind-reader?" Vegeta asked cynically. He unsheathed his sword and thrust it out at her. She flipped over it to avoid being stabbed and flew back a few yards. He watched curiously as she closed her eyes and her hand began to glow. As if out of nowhere, a long, golden staff appeared in her right hand and she darted forward at him with it prepared to strike. He skillfully blocked the attack with his sword.  
  
"Besides your desire to defeat me in battle and splurge your fighting habits," Bulma began, ducking under his sword and slicing diagonally with her staff. Vegeta, too, ducked to avoid the hit and flipped backwards. He darted forward, silently awaiting her explanation of what else she 'knew.'  
  
Bulma raced forward as he came at her and they clashed together, sword against staff. She placed her face next to his and whispered into his ear, her breath tickling his skin, "You desire me above all." Vegeta froze, then pushed her away roughly. He stared at her as a flurry of emotions passed through him.  
  
"What's going on up there?" Turles asked from his place on the ground. Radditz shrugged.  
  
"They stopped fighting all of a sudden," he replied.  
  
Vegeta sneered at Bulma. "What do you know, wench?"  
  
She smiled at him softly; a true, genuine smile. "Everything."  
  
Vegeta roared with pent-up rage. "YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!" he screamed and lunged at her again. He was so blinded by fury that his punches missed by a mile. She dodged them easily and frowned sadly to herself.  
  
"You cannot defeat me, Vegeta," she said softly. She dematerialized away from him and he saw a tear fall from her eye. He was astonished to find that the teardrop formed into a diamond upon leaving its place in her azure eyes.  
  
"I will defeat you!" he screamed and his aura flared angrily around him like a raging storm within his heart. She shook her head slowly in a 'no' fashion. Lightning radiated off of Vegeta's body as he grew angrier and angrier. He contemplated his situation. He knew deep down that he could not beat her. In all actuality, they were evenly matched in power, but his fury was blinding him at the moment. Suddenly, he dove down towards the ground. Bulma looked down sharply at him. She had not read his mind and did not know what he was planning to do.  
  
Vegeta landed directly in front of Juunanagou and grabbed him around the neck again. "Admit your defeat, angel! Admit it or he dies!"  
  
Bulma gasped in terror. She quickly thought of a solution to evade admitting her defeat or admitting Juunanagou's life. "Wait!" she called out, quickly descending to the ground. "Do not harm him."  
  
Vegeta glared venemously at her. "Give up or he'll suffer the consequences."  
  
Bulma probed Vegeta's mind for an answer of why he was doing such a degrading thing. He's desperate to win, she realized with a start. He's terrified of losing to me. She stood stalk still as more teardrops, turned diamonds fell from her beautiful, blue orbs.  
  
"Get him, Bulma! Don't worry about me!" Juunanagou yelled, trying to convince his friend to forget about him. She refused to even move a muscle.  
  
"Vegeta," she said softly and Vegeta's eyes zoomed in on her. "Release him. Release him and I will join you."  
  
"Bulma, no!" her mother screamed, rushing forward only to be held back by Bulma's father.  
  
"He's desperate! Forget about me, B-chan!" Juunanagou cried out.  
  
"No, Juu-kun! I cannot!" Bulma returned forcefully. Vegeta growled at their 'pet' names. "Please, Vegeta. Let him go and I will go with you."  
  
The Chosen One contemplated her plea. After a few moments, he shoved Juunanagou away and pulled Bulma to him. She struggled in his arms momentarily before he tightened his grip on her in a silent warning.  
  
"Bulma, don't! Please! Let him kill me instead!" Juunanagou pleaded with her, but she would not look him in the face.  
  
"I must," she whispered. Vegeta held his sword against Bulma's neck as a hostage as he arose into the air and flew back towards his camp. The large amount of demons also followed him, but not before blood between the angels and demons were shed. The seventy-five or so angels still remaining, including Bulma's parents and Juunanagou, could hardly move due to shock of their precious gift being stolen from them. Bulma's mother kneeled down on the ground and collected the diamonds that had fallen from her daughter's blue orbs. Her husband held her as she cried.  
  
"Was this the price?!" she screamed at him and he could not answer.  
  
~*~  
  
"Vegeta, you're hurting me!" Bulma exclaimed, struggling in his arms. He had already threatened to drop her if she didn't stop moving, but apparently she didn't believe him for she hadn't stopped. Vegeta loosened his grip somewhat in response to her complaining.  
  
"Vegeta, why did you bring that screaming harpy? Couldn't you have just killed her right then and there?" Turles moaned with his hands over his ears. Bulma screamed, outraged. Radditz, too, soon covered his ears.  
  
"A hostage is always good," Vegeta replied simply, too preoccupied with trying to keep Bulma from wiggling her way out of his arms and to the depths of the earth, hundreds of feet below. Bulma suddenly stopped moving and glared at Radditz.  
  
"I'm not the moron. You are!" she said indignantly. Radditz's eyes bulged out of their sockets.  
  
"That's not fair! Vegeta," he whined childishly, "Make her stop reading my mind! That's unfair!" Turles snickered, earning a well-placed punch from Radditz. Vegeta chuckled, as well.  
  
"You holding me hostage is unfair," she spat. She personally didn't find any humor in the current situation. Turles nodded thoughtfully.  
  
"Yeah, she's right. Life isn't fair. Oh well!" he replied wistfully. Bulma glared at him, but he didn't seem to notice.  
  
"I demand to know where I am being taken!" she ordered, whipping her head around to Vegeta who simply raised an eyebrow.  
  
"My, my, aren't we rude today?" he asked, half joking.  
  
"Yeah," Radditz chimed in, "I thought angels were supposed to be like, nice and stuff?" Bulma smirked and shook her head.  
  
"You are undeserving of my kindness."  
  
Radditz pouted and pointed out, "But I'm an A class demon!" She snorted.  
  
"And I am the Prodigal One," she replied arrogantly. Vegeta smirked; he seemed to be rubbing off on her.  
  
"She has a point, you know," Turles said slowly. Radditz threw another punch at him though this one missed by a mile.  
  
"She doesn't have to be so mean though!" he whined. Bulma rolled her eyes and looked away.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
First off, the idea for teardrops forming a jewel comes from Hiei's sister, Yukina, from Yu Yu Hakusho. Very good show; highly recommended. ^_^ My Radditz-kun is sooo cute! I just want to cuddle him! Okay, anyway, for the first time in my writing 'career,' I've written out a timeline of sorts, so I know exactly how the story will go. I've actually got a plan for once! Like any of you care. ^^; Anywhooooo, let me know in a review if you want to be emailed with future chapters! 


	9. Just Let Me Go

Tenshi and Akuma  
Chapter 9  
  
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Disclaimer: I own everything; worship me! No, really... I don't own anything... T.T  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Bulma screamed in aggrivation. "Vegeta!" She arched her body outwards and pulled at the restraints around her wrists fruitlessly. They were simply unbreakable. The demons must have placed some type of energy-deflector upon her chains. There was simply no other way they could have contained her power; she would have escaped by now. She hadn't seen Vegeta since she had been captured.  
  
"Let me go, you pitiful fool!" she cried, jerking her body forcefully. She had bruised herself severely, not to mention she had been beaten by dungeon guards once already. More tears, turned diamonds fell from her eyes as she struggled to free herself, but to no avail. She hung her head in sadness and willed herself to sleep.  
  
~*~  
  
Bulma's mother sat teary-eyed at her window. It had been two days since her daughter had been taken. Search parties, including her husband, were out searching for their precious gift, but she seemed to have simply vanished off of the planet. She, herself, had also searched for her daughter, her disappearing and reappearing abilities making her searches much quicker. But how could she rescue her daughter if she couldn't even locate her?  
  
She opened her enclosed fist to reveal the five diamonds that had been shed from her daughter's eyes two days prior. She pressed them against her cheek softly and allowed a few of her own tears to fall.  
  
No matter what the cost, they would find her daughter. She had to be okay; she knew she was.  
  
~*~  
  
"Woman," a quiet voice pried into Bulma's dreamless sleep. She slowly awoke and focused on the figure in front of her. She growled and began jerking her body forward to try to reach out to him.  
  
"Let me go now!" she demanded, pulling down on the chains around her wrists though she was far from being able to physically damage him in anyway.  
  
"Why are you bruised?" Vegeta asked curiously.  
  
"Why do you think?!" she spat. His eyes widened in realization.  
  
"Who?" he ground out and she rolled her eyes.  
  
"Besides my self-inflicted wounds," she started cynically, "your dungeon guards! Honestly, sometimes I believe you don't think before speaking."  
  
He frowned, but didn't respond. He about-faced and marched out of the cell. Bulma sighed and ceased her struggling against her restraints. However, Vegeta returned moments later, holding the guard who had harmed her by his neck.  
  
"Is this the one?" Vegeta asked, nodding his head towards the nearly-choking guard. Bulma hesitated, but nodded slowly. No sooner than she had nodded had Vegeta thrust his arm straight through the other demon's body. Bulma screamed and closed her eyes quickly. She hung her head in shame for causing the demon's death. Sure, he had harmed her, but she would never wish for anyone's death, demon or not.  
  
Vegeta tossed the bloody carcass to the ground and turned to face the other two guards which had entered the cell upon hearing the commotion. "The Prodigal One is not to be harmed," he said simply and motioned for them to take the dead demon away. Confused by their leader's statement, but not wanting to die, they quickly dragged the dead demon out of the cell with them.  
  
Vegeta slowly walked up to Bulma and gently lifted her chin. She refused to look him in the eyes and focused on her own feet which were chained to the dungeon wall. "Are you alright?" he asked in a concerned tone.  
  
"I'll be fine once you get your filthy hands off of me," she said, looking him in the eyes with a fake smile. Vegeta pretended as if he didn't hear her and rubbed her cheek softly.  
  
"Once we have won the war, you will join me," he told her. He ran his other hand through her blue locks and was disappointed to find that they were sticky with blood. She scoffed at him.  
  
"I would NEVER join you!" She glared at him, but Vegeta just smirked.  
  
"Yes, you will," he informed her in a stricter tone. He leaned his head in to capture her lips in a kiss, but drew back in surprise when she bit him on his lower lip. He touched his lip softly and pulled his finger back to see it stained with his crimson blood. "You little bitch... you WILL be at my side and there won't be anything you can say or do to deny it."  
  
Bulma stayed quiet for a few minutes. When he realized she was going to refuse to talk to him, he turned to exit the cell. She called out to him before he left and he quickly turned, giving her his full attention. She smiled coyly and decided to play him at his own game... just to see how he might react.  
  
"If you care about me like your actions claim, let me stay with you instead of in this treacherous dungeon cell," she said quietly. He raised his eyebrows and walked back over to her.  
  
Running his hand down her arm, he responded, "You know I cannot. You are a prisoner and prisoners do not sleep in my chambers." She shook her head at him.  
  
"You let me sleep in your chambers before when I was injured," she reminded him and he glanced away from her.  
  
"How was it different? Did you care about me more then?" she pressed, forcefully wanting an answer from him. He struggled to keep from looking at her and focused on her surroundings instead.  
  
"Woman, quit asking these stupid questions, you--"  
  
"No," she cut him off, "I want to know. Am I too filthy now? Is that it?" He regarded her calmly.  
  
"Well, you ARE filthy, but no, that is not it," he smirked when she fumed.  
  
"Well, fine, I'm just dandy hanging here by a chain. Leave me alone," she retorted heatedly. He chuckled and stroked her cheek in a gentle manner.  
  
"I would have you in my bed even as filthy as you are now, but right now, you are my prisoner," he told her before turning to leave the cell. This time, she didn't call after him.  
  
~*~  
  
"Have you had any luck? Oh, please, say you have!" Bulma's mother pleaded. Juunanagou felt as if he would die under her scrutinizing gaze; the guilt he felt was incredible. He shook his head slowly and couldn't bear to look the woman in the eye. He felt a tender hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Juu, do not feel guilt for her capture. You love her just as much as we do and you are not at fault," came the older angel's soft voice. Juunanagou felt somewhat better, but still felt a heavy load on his chest.  
  
~*~  
  
Bulma was, once again, struggling against her restraints. She screamed in frustration. She had spent an entire week in Hell's dungeons in God-knows-where and she was at her wit's end. "YOU JERK!" She cringed. She had been around demons for too long; she was starting to use language which she would never have dreamed of using before the war. She looked up sharply as Vegeta entered the cell.  
  
"You called?" he asked with a smirk. She wished she could slap that smirk right off of his face.  
  
"I demand that you release me from these chains!" she said maliciously. Vegeta's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't ever seen her quite that angry before.  
  
"You're in no position to demand anything, angel," he informed her calmly. He crossed his arms expectantly. He was curious to know where her bravery in such a grave situation came from. Bulma's face took on a pained expression.  
  
"But I'm cold," she whispered depressingly. Vegeta felt his resolve crumble and his eyes showed emotion briefly. He slowly lowered his arms and nodded.  
  
"I shall fetch you a cloak then," he told her. Bulma's face fell into an even more depressed state. She figured that a cloak was better than nothing though for she truly was cold. For Hell, her surroundings sure weren't warm.  
  
A few minutes later, Vegeta returned with a heavy, black cloak. He wrapped it around her shoulders and tied it tightly. Bulma shivered unconsciously at his touch. He looked at her expectantly and she nodded.  
  
"That's better, thank you," she supplied quietly, hanging her head. As the demon turned to leave, he heard a soft, yet venemous voice behind him. "They'll come rescue me. My mom will find this place, just wait."  
  
He chuckled and looked over his shoulder. Her head was still hung and he noticed a few diamonds on the hard, cement floor. "Even if your mother does find this place with her little disappearing act, I believe that she will find it hard to get past all of the guards." He laughed once more. Bulma lifted her head quickly.  
  
"Vegeta, just let me go!" she pleaded, but her pleas landed upon deaf ears. The corner of his upper lip lifted ever so slightly. He began walking towards the dungeon door and paused at it.  
  
"Let you go?" he asked seriously. "But my dear, you mistake your situation -- I'll never let you go."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Ahh, he's an obsessed asshole! I think I could have put more detail and description into this chapter, but I like it just the same. I hope you all did, too! I expect four to five more chapters in this story if everything goes as planned. Anyway, if you want to be emailed with future chapters, let me know in your review. ^_^ 


	10. They Don't Act Like Demons

Tenshi and Akuma  
Chapter 10  
  
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Disclaimer: I own everything; worship me! No, really... I don't own anything... T.T  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Good morning," Vegeta whispered in the ear of the sleeping Bulma. She slowly roused and lifted her head to look at him. She scowled.  
  
"And just what's good about it?" she snapped. Vegeta chuckled.  
  
"My, someone woke up on the wrong side of the... dungeon," he replied while motioning for a guard to enter with some food for her. The guard filled the spoon with the soup and was obviously prepared to feed her since her hands were bound by chains, but Bulma stopped him.  
  
"Vegeta, I don't want to be fed like a baby anymore. Let me eat by myself!" she cried and tugged at her chains holding her hands above her head. He held his hand up for the guard to wait.  
  
"You know I can't give you a chance to escape. But I do have an idea and I'm willing to compromise, lovely," he told her with a smirk. She glared at him.  
  
"Don't call me lovely, but what is your idea?"  
  
"Well, lovely," he started with an evil grin and emphasized 'lovely', "I'll allow you to sit down while you eat, but your hands will still be bound. They'll be roomier though, so that you can feed yourself. Fair enough?"  
  
She beamed and smiled: something he hadn't seen from her in a long time. "Yes, please! Thank you, that'd be wonderful! I haven't felt my arms in days!" Vegeta nodded. He already realized that the blood had long since drained from her arms.  
  
Vegeta nodded his head towards Bulma and the guarded walked over to her. He quickly unlocked the cuffs around her feet. Bulma flexed her ankles and bent her knees happily. The guard levitated some and undid the cuffs around her wrists. She fell to the ground though she was caught and steadied by Vegeta. She slowly sat down and allowed the guard to place the cuffs back around her wrists, though the chain magically lengthened a little. Afterwards, the guard went leaving Bulma and Vegeta alone.  
  
She grabbed her bowl of soup and slowly began to sip it from her spoon. Her arms hadn't regained much of their feeling yet, but it would have to do. She looked up suddenly as she heard a lot of yelling and commotion. The cell door slammed open and Vegeta stood sharply.  
  
"What are you two doing in here?" he snapped angrily. Radditz and Turles gazed awestruck at Bulma who simply looked uncomfortable. They both rushed over to her at once.  
  
"I'm Turles," the shorter-haired man said, shaking her hand roughly. Bulma pulled her sore hand back, rubbing it, and nodded politely. Her hand was soon yanked back out of her grasp as the long-haired man took it and showered it with kisses.  
  
"And I... am Radditz," he told her in an exaggerated tone. She laughed nervously.  
  
"Eh heh... charmed, I'm sure..." she trailed off, glancing helplessly at Vegeta. He soon intervened with a rough punch, sending Radditz flying across the room and into the cement wall. He groaned and stood up.  
  
"Shit, Vegeta, what's up?!" Radditz glared whilst rubbing his head. Vegeta simply crossed his arms and looked pointedly at him.  
  
"Do NOT kiss the enemy," he stated flatly, unbeknownst to Radditz that he, himself, had almost kissed Bulma on a few occasions. But no, he wouldn't tell Radditz that, of course. Bulma seemed to read his thoughts as she looked at him with an amused expression. Just then, another spiky-haired man entered the cell with a big grin on his face.  
  
"Oh, wow," he said, walking up to Bulma in childlike awe, "So YOU'RE the Prodigal One!"  
  
"Kakkarot!" Vegeta bellowed. "Damnit, all three of you get out!"  
  
"Aw, but I just got here," the one named Kakkarot pouted. Vegeta growled and flared his energy. It didn't phase Bulma, but it sent the three other demons sprawling back a few feet.  
  
"Moody son of a bitch," Turles muttered as he, Radditz and Kakkarot left the room. Vegeta watched them leave with a snarl on his face before turning back to Bulma who was quietly eating with an amused look on her face.  
  
"Who were they? You know, for demons... they sure don't act like it," she stated matter-of-factly as she sipped her soup.  
  
Vegeta sighed irritably. "Those are my stupid cousins. Kakkarot and Turles are twins and Radditz is a year old than them. They're complete morons; disgraceful, really."  
  
"Oh, well I just thought they were nice," Bulma retorted. Vegeta looked at her strangely, but didn't respond.  
  
~*~  
  
"Miss! We've found it, we've found it!" a C Class angel exclaimed happily as she jumped up and down feverishly. Bulma's mother looked up sharply with tears brewing in her eternally youthful eyes.  
  
"ChiChi, tell me you do not jest!" the blonde angel said hopefully, standing from her place by the window.  
  
"No, miss, I do not jest. We have found the hideout where Ms. Bulma is being held captive," ChiChi replied reassuringly. The older angel's hand flew to her mouth and she hugged the raven-haired, younger angel in happiness. She pulled ChiChi out the door and to the room where her husband was already preparing a troop.  
  
"Are we leaving now?" she asked her husband anxiously and he nodded with a fierce glare shining out from his eyes. He glanced at his wife and shook his head.  
  
"Don't even think about it. If you appear in there, the guards will kill you. You'll just have to fly with us," he said knowingly with a pointed look.  
  
She pounded her fist into her other palm. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He turned to look at the other forty or so demons and they nodded in turn. They knew it was time. A few at a time, they took to the air and waited patiently for their leader. Each male was dressed in white pants and a long-sleeved white shirt and each female was wearing a white, long dress. They camouflaged with the clouds. Bulma's parents soon took to the air, as well, and they headed east: in the direction of the main demon hideout.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I don't even want to hear about how short this chapter is. Bring that point up and I'll be really pissed! I KNOW it's short, but I've had a lot of crap happen lately. In fact, it's a lucky thing that I even made the chapter THIS long. _ I'll try to make up for it in the next chapter as long as you people are nice! And another note, yes, I know this story doesn't have a lot of action -- but I did not place it in the Action/Adventure category for a reason. 


	11. Don't Do This

Tenshi and Akuma  
Chapter 11  
  
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Disclaimer: I own everything; worship me! No, really... I don't own anything... T.T  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Vegeta and Bulma, the Chosen and Prodigal Ones, currently sat next to each other with their backs against the dungeon's cold wall. Bulma's ivory wings hung limply at her sides in a depressed state. They had simply spent the last hour talking, completely unaware of the army of angels that drew ever nearer.  
  
"A few weeks ago, during our battle, I felt that you don't care about sides and winning. You only care about being the strongest. Why?" Bulma asked. Vegeta looked surprised that she had brought the subject up again and contemplated his answer.  
  
"I want to be the strongest being ever. Battles are like games to me now. They're only worth playing if I have a good challenge. Sadly, you're the only one around now that I've ascended," he answered. She nodded knowingly.  
  
"I'm worried about my family and friends. Poor Juunanagou," she said sadly.  
  
Vegeta looked away angrily at her last comment. "Who cares about that fool? If he isn't strong enough to fend for himself, he doesn't deserve to live."  
  
She shot him a heated look. "That is untrue, Vegeta." He snorted.  
  
"That stupid saint," he started venemously. "He's a girly pansy."  
  
She sighed. "Jealous prat," she mumbled.  
  
Vegeta's eyes widened. "What?! I'm not either!" he shouted, a little harsher than he had intended. Bulma flinched away from him and he slapped himself mentally. "I mean, I'm not jealous," he corrected himself in a much softer tone.  
  
Bulma smirked as she read his mind. "Sensitive woman, yet so beautiful, am I?"  
  
Vegeta made a choking sound. "You... I didn't...!" She giggled at his sputtering and laid her head upon his firm shoulder. Vegeta had half a mind to her shove her away, but a sensational emotion he felt inside kept him from doing so. He didn't know what it was he felt. Sometimes it made him feel wonderful inside, like now. Other times, it frightened him to the core though he'd never admit to that. He ran his fingers through Bulma's wavy, blue locks. She looked up at him and he slowly leaned forward.  
  
"Bulma," he whispered as his lips made contact with hers for the first time. She sighed happily against his soft lips. Laying back, she pulled him on top of her. The door busted open and Radditz rushed inside the damp cell, skidding to a halt at the scene before him.  
  
"Woah, shit!" he yelled in shock. Bulma and Vegeta quickly pulled apart. Radditz shook his head fiercely to rid himself of the memory of what he had just witnessed. Now was not the time to question his leader on why he was kissing the enemy. "Vegeta, the angels are here!"  
  
Vegeta jumped to his feet immediately, knocking Bulma back a bit. "Ready the armies!" he ordered. Radditz saluted him and quickly left the cell. Vegeta roughly undid the chains around Bulma's delicate wrists and she rubbed the sore joints.  
  
"Come, angel," he said roughly. He pulled her to her feet and dragged her out of the cell. He gripped her forearm tightly to prevent her from trying to escape. As if she could. She was too preoccupied with being dragged around like a ragdoll to consider an escape. Not to mention, she most likely wouldn't get very far even if she succeeded in squeezing out of his grasp. He pulled her around the corner of the damp, dungeon walls and skidded to a halt.  
  
"Ow, VEGETA! That HURT!" she cried as she slammed into the back of him. She rubbed her sore head and glared at him. "And you're hurting my arm, too!" He glanced down at her briefly and released her arm, much to her surprise. He then looked forward again and Bulma felt slightly peeved that his attention kept wandering. She looked ahead of them, too, and almost cried out in joy. She went to run forward, but Vegeta held her back. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and he shook his head sternly.  
  
"Bulma!" her mother screamed, trying desperately to get out of her husband's tight grip to reach her daughter.  
  
"Vegeta, let me go!" Bulma said and he complied. He bent his head and resisted the urge to pull her back. She eyed him briefly with silent gratitude before running forward. Her father released her mother at that point and they both met in the middle in a flurry of tears, hugs and kisses. Bulma's father and Juunanagou looked at each other, their eyes wide with shock.  
  
"Did you see..." her father began quietly.  
  
"--Yes. He actually let her go!" Juuanangou answered for him. They both gaped at Vegeta who was eyeing the scene before him distastefully.  
  
"Bulma..." Vegeta trailed off quietly and oddly enough, the blue-haired angel thought she heard a tinge of sadness in his voice. She released her mother who was staring at Vegeta curiously. Bulma turned to face him solemnly.  
  
"We don't have to do this, Vegeta," Bulma said, raising her chin an extra notch. Vegeta acted as if he hadn't heard her.  
  
"I'm challenging you. Fight me," he said flatly. A sob escaped her mouth and she shook her head repeatedly. Her eyes widened as an entire army of demons appeared behind Vegeta, obviously fully-prepared to fight if need be. The grounds outside of the dungeon were suddenly looking much smaller. Vegeta chuckled and slowly unsheathed his sword. He raised it and pointed it at her. Bulma sighed in defeat and regretfully summoned her golden staff.  
  
"Fine, Vegeta, since you desire to be the strongest, I will fight you," she told him and crouched down into a fighting stance. She wished that there weren't a circle of angels and demons around them; Bulma and Vegeta were putting them in danger. The Chosen One apparently wasn't thinking the same thing as she for he chose that moment to charge at her. She shielded off his attack with her staff though she skidded a few feet backwards. Vegeta paused concerned. She slowly sat up and wiped a dribble of blood from the corner of her mouth.  
  
She tilted her head and stared piercingly into his eyes. "You cannot fight me if you are concerned for my well-being." Gasps were heard from the on-lookers, including Vegeta's father. He became outraged.  
  
"What does she mean, Vegeta?!" he asked angrily though his son ignored him. Bulma's parents looked at each other confusedly.  
  
"You are right, my angel," he replied with a nod of his head. Turles's eyes widened in realization.  
  
"I get it now..." he whispered to himself. Radditz and Kakkarot heard and each gave him a questioning look. Kakkarot sighed.  
  
"He is in love with her, though it is a star-crossed and forbidden love," he supplied with depression apparent in his voice.  
  
"And I believe his feelings are not unrequited," Radditz said as he recalled the previous kissing scene between Vegeta and Bulma. He shook his head pitifully.  
  
Bulma gripped her staff and stood back up to face Vegeta. She glanced at her father who had a gleam in his eye. She realized with a start that it was actually a tear. Bulma stared down at her feet and muttered, "I know what I must do."  
  
Vegeta grinned. "And what is that?" He raised his sword to her throat, surprised that she had not stopped him with her staff. She threw her staff to the side. Gradually, her eyes began to dilate into the white that was first shown when she had ascended. Vegeta curiously watched her with his sword still raised to her throat though it did not make any actual contact. He felt her energy begin to soar to higher and higher levels.  
  
"Planning on blowing me up instead?" he joked, laughing to himself. No response was heard as Bulma continued to rise her energy. A golden aura surrounded her and her hair blew with the non-existant wind. The Chosen One could feel the heat emitting from her body and it was searing hot to the touch.  
  
He chuckled though more nervously this time. "Come on, you're going to blow yourself up along with me at this rate," he said. Bulma moaned, agony apparent in her voice. Her mother was crying a distance away.  
  
"Don't let her do it!" she screamed, pounding her husband's chest. Vegeta's eyes widened in realization and he was suddenly shocked beyond words.  
  
"N-No," he choked out, "Don't do this." His sword lowered somewhat when her eyes became their radiant, blue color once again. She lowered her head ever so slightly and looked into his eyes.  
  
"Don't do this," he repeated. He glanced momentarily at his sword before looking back into her eyes. "I told you before that I don't care about winning. You're stronger than me; you don't deserve to die."  
  
Bulma was about to question him on his statement when he flipped his sword in his hand. Before she could emit a sound, he stabbed the blade deep into his abdomen. A blood-curdling scream could be heard from Bulma amongst the perfect silence. Vegeta fell to the ground with his eyes shut in eternal slumber.  
  
"VEGETA!" Bulma screamed, throwing herself onto his body. "NOO!!!"  
  
"Oh, god, no... VEGETA!" his father yelled in terror. The Prodigal One continued to scream; they soon turned to loud cries of pain. She pulled on his jet black shirt and buried her face into it.  
  
"Why?! Why, Vegeta?!" she cried though he could not answer. Bulma's mother's hand covered her mouth in shock and sadness for her daughter. Her husband slowly approached his daughter and tried to pull her away from the fallen demon. He finally succeeded in doing so and Turles lifted his cousin's limp body into his arms. He watched the angels retreat, Bulma still screaming in her father's arms, and found he could not utter a word. The pain in his chest would not go away.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
...Please don't kill me... -_-' I have a late chapter, somewhat short, and Vegeta dies in it. Please don't kill me!! If it's any consolation, I'm known for writing angsty and death-plagued stories which have (somewhat) happy endings, hint hint! So please, don't kill meeee. ;_; 


	12. It Shouldn't Have To Be This Way

Tenshi and Akuma  
  
Chapter 12  
  
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Disclaimer: I own everything; worship me! No, really... I don't own anything... T.T  
  
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It had been four days. Bulma sat upright on her bed, staring at the wall in front of her. Anyone who had seen her could safely say that she would have memorized every curvature, design and crease in the wall's design, but in all honesty, she hadn't. She hadn't been staring at the wall, but straight through it rather. Her eyes had long-since glazed over and it was as if the wall wasn't even there. She hadn't slept, she hadn't eaten. When she was not crying, she was simply glaring into space.  
  
Her parents and her friends were worried sick about her. They feared her mourning over the death of Vegeta would kill her, as well. Her door creaked open and her mother stepped inside quickly.  
  
"Bulma?" she questioned, holding a tray with a bowl of soup in her hands. Her daughter's eyes did not show any recognition nor did she move an inch. She sighed and walked up to the bed where Bulma was sitting. She sat the tray down on the bedside table and shook her daughter gently. Bulma slowly looked up, shaking ever so slightly.  
  
"Here, eat something or you'll become ill!" her mother chirped, trying to sound cheerful for Bulma. The blue-haired angel shook her head, muttering that she wasn't hungry.  
  
"But you haven't eaten in four days!"  
  
Bulma shrugged. "Neither has he."  
  
Her mother knew who 'he' was and she shivered with an uncomfortable feeling washing over her. "Honey, I could never know how you must feel, but starving yourself won't bring Vegeta back."  
  
Bulma scowled. "I don't care if I starve to death, mother."  
  
"Don't say that! I'm sorry he died, but I don't want you to die, too!" She was taken aback when her daughter stood angrily.  
  
"You don't know! You don't understand!" Bulma screamed. Her mother sighed sadly and nodded.  
  
"You're right, I don't," she said quietly, looking down. She heard her daughter sob painfully. She looked forward to see Bulma with her face in her hands, crying quietly. The Prodigal One sank to the ground and banged her fist on the floor.  
  
"It's all my fault... I just want him to come back, mom!"  
  
The older angel held back a sob of her own and crouched down next to her daughter and pulled her close. "I know you do." Bulma buried her head into her mother's chest and cried.  
  
~*~  
  
Juunanagou stood as Bulma's mother entered the room. "How is she?" he asked concerned.  
  
"She mourns a great amount," she replied slowly. Juunanagou looked down sadly.  
  
"I wish there was something we could do to make her feel better." He groaned. He pounded his fist into the coffee table and the glass top shattered to pieces. He smiled sheepishly.  
  
"I'm sorry. I'll get you a new one," he said apologetically. Bulma's mother smiled at him reassuringly.  
  
"It's okay, dear." They both look up sharply as Bulma's door opened and she silently stepped out. No one questioned her as she went to the door. They knew she needed some air and time to herself.  
  
~*~  
  
Vegeta's father carried his son's eternally-sleeping body into the small temple which was lit dimly by a few candles. Turles, Radditz, Kakkarot and a few other A Class demons followed him inside, their heads bowed low in both respect and sorrow. The older man gently set his son down upon the stone tablet in the center of the room. Radditz handed forth Vegeta's sword and it was placed in Vegeta's hands upon his chest.  
  
"Why?" his father asked in disgust. "Why would you kill yourself over that... that angel, Vegeta?!" He shook his head and about-faced to leave the temple. Turles watched him leave before walking up to Vegeta's temple. Only the most sacred and powerful of demons were given their own temple upon their death. And only the cream of the crop had a stone tablet to lay upon through their trip to the Underworld and throughout the rest of their eternal slumber. Vegeta was one in a million for each temple-receiver before him had been buried in their temple, their bodies hidden from everyone, after their deaths.  
  
"Vegeta..." Turles trailed off, running his hand over the magnificent sword. He closed his eyes sadly and walked out of the temple. Kakkarot took one last glance at Vegeta before stumbling out of the temple with his head down. Radditz watched them go before finally approaching the stone tablet.  
  
"Hey, buddy," he whispered, patting his cousin -- and best friend's -- arm. "Unlike those buffoons, I understand why you did what you did. Women are such enigmas, yeah?" He chuckled to himself and kneeled down in front of the tablet which sat up three feet. He rested his arms on it and put his head inside his folded arms.  
  
"I just wish it wasn't you, man. You... and those stupid brothers of mine... are the only people I could really trust in this world. These demons will stab you right in the fucking back if it's convenient for them, you know?" He looked up at Vegeta's silent form and the corner of his lip raised.  
  
"I wish there was something I could do to bring you back. It's almost impossible to do though when a demon or angel dies, it seems..." he trailed off pathetically. He cocked his head to the side. "But even if you did magically wake up, you'd be back at square one. I know you didn't want to kill her, did you?"  
  
For some reason, Radditz was extremely disappointed that Vegeta wasn't answering him. He bonked himself on the head. "Duh, Radditz, he can't answer you," he muttered to himself sarcastically. He looked at the open door to the temple as he heard soft footsteps. His eyes widened in shock and he quickly stood.  
  
"What are you doing here? How'd you get past the guards?" he questioned, still recovering from his surprise. He sighed at the dry stain marks on the girl's face.  
  
"Turles and Kakkarot helped me," she replied quietly and put her head down. She suddenly felt very out of place. Radditz seemed to notice this.  
  
"Bulma, is it? Come over here," he told her and motioned for her to join him by the tablet which held Vegeta's body. She slowly walked over and a tear which turned into a diamond tumbled down her creamy cheek. Radditz glanced at the diamond and absently thought that she must be rich with all of the crying she had probably done by now. She paid the jewels no heed, however.  
  
She gently ran her fingertips over his lips. She then brought her fingers up, kissed them, then returned them to his cold lips. Suddenly, she broke down into tears. She covered her face as she mourned the loss of her loved one. Radditz looked away uncomfortably.  
  
"I'll let you alone," he said before leaving the temple.  
  
"Why'd you go, Vegeta?" Bulma whispered, not even realizing that Radditz had left. She stood up from her curled up place upon the ground and laid down on the stone tablet next to him. "I miss you..."  
  
She glanced in his hands at the wonderous sword once again. "You died by this sword for me." She ran her fingertip over the blade; it drew blood. She sat up on the tablet and stared at the sword as if in a trance. The angel slowly removed it from his grasp and turned it every which way in her hands. Its long, sharp blade gleamed in the sunlight seeping in through the entrance way.  
  
Bulma looked upon Vegeta's closed eyes again before returning her gaze to the sword. "Maybe we'd have a chance in the afterlife," she murmured as she got a firm grip on the sword. She shakily raised it up into the air, the blade pointing diagonally down. Swiftly, the Prodigal One plunged the blade deep into her stomach. She cried out in agony before falling lifelessly on top of her love. The sword tumbled to the ground.  
  
~*~  
  
Radditz, Kakkarot and Turles all looked up in unison as they heard a scream of pain come from within the temple. They looked at each other and seemed to think the same thing. They each darted inside, scared of what they had a feeling they would find. Kakkarot was the first to enter and he gasped.  
  
"Oh... my..." Turles trailed off, his eyes scanning the crimson liquid which seeped out from beneath Bulma and Vegeta's bodies and onto the stone floor. Radditz looked down and shook his head in pity. It was a shame it had to be this way.  
  
~*~  
  
Bulma's mother shot awake in her bed as a searing pain ripped through her stomach. "BULMA!" she screamed. Her husband awoke as she fled the bed and ran out the door. She focused on her daughter's lifeforce, but was devastated to realize that she could not find it. It didn't exist anymore.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I bet you REALLY want to kill me now, don't you? ^^; Don't despair yet! I think it's somewhat obvious of how this fic will end; some of you have even guessed already. However, nobody has guessed on how I plan on going about it exactly. So stay tuned for the next chapter; it will be the last. 


	13. We Won't Be Separated In This Life

Tenshi and Akuma  
  
Chapter 13  
  
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Disclaimer: I own everything; worship me! No, really... I don't own anything... T.T  
  
I won't even attempt an explanation for the lateness of this chapter except for writer's block is a drag and personal problems are even shittier.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Bulma's mother stood outside of her house, the morning sunrays just beginning to peak over the horizon. She was shivering uncontrollably for she knew she had lost her one and only daughter. She knew that her beautiful angel was dead, no longer to walk to path of the Prodigal One.  
  
"BULMA!" she screamed at the world and held her eternally youthful face in her hands. She cried quietly and didn't even notice her husband wrap his arms around her waist. He had known this day would come, but had expected other reasons for it -- not Bulma's suicide. He had cursed the Prodigal One legend day after day throughout Bulma's life. He knew she would have to suffer the ultimate price for it, as well as the Chosen One though, of course, he didn't care about that.  
  
He knew now though that he felt immense grief for both of the legendary apparitions. They had both suffered a great loss -- one in the same -- and it was due to the fact that they were born with a power they hadn't even asked for. No one asked them if they wanted to live a short life only to save their people and then have to die. No one asked them if they wanted to be cursed to doom from the day they were born.  
  
Bulma's mother looked up suddenly. "I have to go to her." Her husband hadn't even the time to object for the blonde angel had disappeared right from her place in his arms.  
  
~*~  
  
"Radditz, what do we do? I mean... she's..." Kakkarot trailed off uncertainly. Radditz threw him a quick glance before focusing once more on the two lifeless bodies before him. He had expected, in the tiniest bit, that she might do something like this... that she might end her own life in her grief. He just hadn't taken the time to think about the consequences. Vegeta's father would surely flip if he saw her here, laying lifelessly on top of his son. On the other hand, Radditz didn't want to just disentigrate her body into nothingness. That would be a waste. He silently contemplated bringing her body to angel headquarters, but grudgingly admitted that he probably wouldn't stand a chance against their wrath. He'd be outnumbered one-thousand to one.  
  
"I don't know, Kakkarot," he trailed off quietly without looking at his brother. He studied Bulma and Vegeta silently for a few more minutes.  
  
"Surely we can't just leave them both here... together," Turles said uncomfortably. Radditz shook his head to confirm that notion. No, that would be bad indeed when Vegeta's father found out that the tomb was being 'disgraced by such filth.' Radditz snorted derisively. They couldn't even be together in death.  
  
His best friend had never spoken it, but thinking back upon comments Vegeta had made and longing looks he had thrown at Bulma, Radditz knew that the attraction ran much deeper than the physical form. They were mated together by their souls.  
  
"Of course not," Radditz replied in a 'duh' tone.  
  
"I will take her for you."  
  
All three demons present whipped their heads around to examine the intruder. Turles and Kakkarot's eyes widened slightly, but Radditz found himself less surprised. The blonde-haired angel entered the tomb, her footsteps as quiet as could be. She appeared as if she was gliding.  
  
Bulma's mother approached the stone tablet where her daughter lay across Vegeta's chest, her arm hanging over the side of which she had dropped the blade which delivered hers and Vegeta's fatal blows.  
  
"I..." Radditz started uncertainly. The angel eyed him dangerously.  
  
"I know what is best for my daughter... and for the boy," she said quietly, her tone underlying deep sadness. Turles raised his eyebrows at this.  
  
"And what do you mean by that, woman?" he questioned suspiciously. She glowered at him.  
  
"Watch your tone, young man!" she scolded him, adjusting her daughter's weight in her arms. Turles made a choking noise and quickly closed his gaping mouth. Bulma's mother smirked triumphantly before her face quickly retained its solemn state. She eyed Radditz as she exited the tomb, her daughter resting gently in her arms.  
  
"Do not remove his body," she said. He looked at her confusedly, but nodded. Seemingly satisfied with his mute answer, she walked completely out of the tomb and took to the air.  
  
~*~  
  
Bulma's mother landed softly on a patch of grass, atop a mountain which overlooked the ocean. She gently laid her daughter's body on the ground before standing back up. She gazed lovingly at her deceased daughter before staring off into the distance. She thought about her husband and silently willed him to understand.  
  
"My beautiful daughter, my love for you knows no boundaries," the older angel murmured softly. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes. Her body began to glow faintly and she slowly lifted off of the ground a few inches. Her body continued to grow brighter and brighter until finally her form was a brilliant beam of white light. Her eyes flew open and she lifted her arms into the air. She smiled down at her daughter as her body faded and she became a part of the wind.  
  
Miles away, her husband cried for the loss of his wife.  
  
~*~  
  
Bulma turned over onto her side and groggily rubbed her eyes. She slowly opened them and glanced around her. She was in the forest where she had first met... him. Then her eyes widened fully. She gasped and looked at her body. She examined each of her body parts and stood up, jumping on each foot as if trying to ensure that she was really alive again. She tapped at her legs anxiously.  
  
"I believe your legs are still there," came a sarcastic voice from behind her. Her head flew up and she whirled around. Tears brimmed in her eyes, then fell. She was astonished to find that they did not turn into diamonds.  
  
"V...V...Vegeta..." She could hardly believe her eyes, but there he was. He was standing before her, completely alive. She ran up to him and jumped into his arms. He accepted her readily and they embraced for what seemed an eternity.  
  
"You're alive," she whispered happily. She ran her forefinger over his cheeks and lips, tears still falling freely down her cheeks. He nodded and wiped away her tears.  
  
"You have no wings," he pointed out quietly. She turned around completely, looking over her shoulder. Her mouth hung open.  
  
"And you! You don't have any wings either!" she exclaimed. Then she pointed at his forehead. "And you don't have any horns!" He grumbled at this.  
  
"And I thought my horns made me look ruggedly handsome, too," he muttered irritably. She laughed and wove her arms around his neck once again, snuggling her face into his chest. He breathed in her scent.  
  
She pulled away from him. "But this can only mean..."  
  
"We are humans," he finished for her. She made a shocked sound.  
  
"But how...?" she trailed off curiously. Then realization struck her and her heart hammered in her chest. "Mother..." She sank to the ground, wrapping her arms around herself in comfort. He knelt down beside her and wrapped his own arms around her in a comforting manner. He seemed to be contemplating something.  
  
"I...I am sorry," he stuttered embarrassingly. Bulma smiled. He may have been human now, but he still had a hard time saying even the simplest of consolements. She frowned sadly.  
  
"Mother," she started, looking up into the sky, "I'll never forget what you did. Thank you," she finished in a whisper. Vegeta lifted her from her place on the ground and into his arms. He leaned back against the tree he had been leaning against when he first met her. He sighed and she laid back against him. They looked into the sky to see five figures staring down at them, each wearing a smile.  
  
Juunanagou and her father both waved at Bulma. Radditz, Turles and Kakkarot grinned at Vegeta and Radditz gave him the thumbs up. Vegeta and Bulma faced each other and each found the other smiling.  
  
"Nothing will separate us in this life," Bulma whispered as she leaned in.  
  
"Never," Vegeta replied as his lips enclosed around hers. He rubbed his thumb softly against her cheek in a lovingly manner. They both knew that no legends would get in between them, no rivalries would make them side against each. Nothing could separate their love.  
  
Not in this lifetime and they would do everything they could to protect the next.  
  
THE END  
  
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I realize it's not as long as some of you were hoping for, but I hope it was worth while anyway. I'm sorry for the wait and I truly hope you enjoyed reading this fanfic. I loved writing it. ^^ There will be no sequel to it as I'm in the process of writing a Harry Potter fic and don't desire to continue on this storyline. Thanks again for reading and reviewing; hope to see you all again on my future fics. ^_^ 


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